Self-soaping washboard.



P. M. GERDON.

SELF $OAPING WASHBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1908.

933,641, Patented." Sept 7, 1909.

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FRANCIS M. GERDON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SELF-SOAPING WASHBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

Application filed May 8, 1908. Serial No. 431,725.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. GERDoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis City and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-Soaping VVashboards, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved washboard provided with means for automatically applying soap to the articles while the same are being rubbed on the washboard during the process of washing, and the said invention consists in the construct-ion, combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a washboard constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical, transverse sectional view of the same.

The washboard 1 may have its frame 2 of any suitable construction. The board is provided at a suitable distance from its upper end with an opening 3 of suitable size to receive a cake of soap. The rubbing plate 4 of the washboard, which is made preferably of suitable sheet metal, is provided with the corrugated portion 5 and is further provided at a suitable distance from its upper end with an opening 6 which registers with and is slightly smaller than the soap receiving opening 3, so that the sides of the said opening 6 form flanges 7 which project inward from the sides of the opening 3 and form'bearing surfaces against which the soap, indicated at a bears. A presser block 8 is provided to bear against the rear side of the cake of soap. Said presser block is recessed on its rear side to receive a plate 9 which is secured thereto as by means of nails or screws and is provided with a central opening. An adjusting screw 10 which has a winged head 11 to enable it to be readily turned manually is formed at its opposite end with a stud which operates in the said central opening of the said plate and is headed on the inner side of the said plate so as to effect a swivel connection between the said screw and the said plate, as

at 12. The said screw passes through an opening in the center of a leaf spring 13 which is of sinusoidal form, and the end portions 14: of which are disposed to bear against the back of the washboard and are connected thereto by means of keepers 15 which enable the ends of the spring to slide longitudinally therein to facilitate the application of the spring to the washboard and its detachment therefrom. A nut 16 which operates on the screw bears against the rear side of the central portion of the spring and coacts with said screw to adjust such spring and vary the tension thereof as may be re quired. The action of the spring is such as to cause the presser block to bear against the rear side of the cake of soap and to force the cake of soap forwardly so as to keep the front surface plane or substantially so with reference to the front surface of the rubbing plate so that as the articles are rubbed on the board they are brought in contact with the front surface of the cake of soap and are supplied with soap thereby.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is,-

A washboard having a soap receiving opening and provided with keepers directly on its rear side at opposite ends of said opening, a presser element to bear on the rear side of the cake of soap in said opening, a compound curved spring, and an adjusting screw for the spring connecting the central portion thereof to the central portion of the presser element, the ends of said spring being insertible in said keepers to coact therewith in holding said presser element in place by the lengthening out of said spring and being detachable from said keepers to release the presser element from the washboard by a rearward pull upon said presser element and a consequent bending of said spring, said adjusting screw serving to vary the tension of said spring as may be required.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. GERDON.

WVitnesses FRED W. MILLER, F. E. MILLER. 

